The high capacity and high performance ProDATA drives are designed specifically for professional storage applications, such as document and medical imaging, e-mail archival, enterprise content management, multimedia
projects, graphic design and audio/video editing/authoring.

The line-up includes three models for simple integration into nearly any environment -- an internal SCSI, an external SCSI and an external USB 2.0 version. In addition to the 23GB per disc optical storage capacity, they feature sustained 11/MB second read and 9MB/second write transfer speeds.

Sony and other media makers offer both write-once and rewritable ProDATA media, with an archival life of up to 50 years.

The Sony-branded ProDATA solution kits include disc formatting and backup software package comprised of Software Architect's Disk Drive TuneUp(TM) and DataSaver(TM) Personal Backup for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) systems and Apple(R) Macintosh(R) computers, as well as one piece of Sony Professional Disc for
DATA rewritable media. The media is encased in a special resin cartridge to protect it from dust, fingerprints and other outside contaminants.

Availability and pricing

Scheduled to ship in June, Sony ProDATA drives will have a suggested retail selling price of $2,995 for the internal SCSI model (BW-F101/A), and $3,299 for the external SCSI model (BW-RS101) or the external USB 2.0 model
(BW-RU101). Professional Disc for DATA media is currently available at a suggested retail selling price of $45 for both the write-once version (model PDDWO23) and the rewritable version (model PDDRW23).